6 Ways to Leverage SMS in healthcare Industry

In a country like India, where billions of people live with highest risks, healthcare industry plays a very crucial role. Due to the increase in the number of patients and diseases, fast communication is the need of the hour for the healthcare industry. Patients need prompt action to monitor their health issues.

Some Statistical Facts About Indian Healthcare industry

– The overall market size of Indian healthcare industry is worth US$ 100 billion and expected to grow to US$ 300 billion by the end of 2020.

– According to Indian Brand Equity Foundation (IBEF), India is the third biggest exporter of pharmaceutical products regarding volume.

– India still spends around 4.5% of its overall GDP in the healthcare sector, which is quite less as compared to US (18%).

– Indian medical tourism industry is worth US$ 3 billion, and annually around 230000 people arrive. It is expected to reach US$ 18 billion by 2018.

The above stats clearly shows that we need to increase the awareness about the health of the people with the help of various means and SMS marketing is one of them. This is, at present one of the rapidly popular way to reach maximum patients and build a fruitful relationship with them by providing timely updates regarding their health and treatment.

SMS marketing could play a critical role in the healthcare industry. First of all, mobile phones are now in reach of every individual, so it is a powerful medium to reach maximum people. One more thing in its favor is the highest open and read rate of 95%, highest among all.

Here are the benefits which healthcare industry can get from SMS marketing

1. Fixing Appointments

Whenever, any patient books appointment with the doctors, he used to book an appointment by going personally or by telephonically. But in case of appointments, dates, and timing changed by the doctors, patients can get SMS alerts from clinic or hospital care center for improving communications.

2. Conference Alerts

Doctors can also take advantage of SMS services. Whenever, some conference, meeting or seminars are organized, they get alerts message about it so that they can reach their in time.

3. Disease Awareness Alerts

Now-a-days, medical camps and promotional medical check-ups are organized by the hospitals to increase the awareness among the people regarding their healthcare. So, they can use SMS to intimate them about these useful events.

How Healthcare Industry Takes Advantage from SMS

1. New Launches

Just like there are cell phone and other digital device upgrades, similarly, the Pharmaceutical industry is working on constant upgrades on drugs and medicines as well.

For e.g.,. whenever there’s a new med for common cold, you can use Bulk SMS to simply promote it to your customers. It’ll give them the “edge” they need to go out on a limb and try it for the first time because unless they hear from an authoritative source, it’s unlikely that people will just stop taking their age-old meds and switch to your tablets.

2. Dosage Reminders

I get it; there might be apps and gadgets like Fitbit and health trackers to do this for them. But still, nothing says “personal connection” more than the Firm/Company keeping a tab on their clients /customers and reminding them of their dosages.

In fact, you don’t have to get any advanced algorithm, database or team either. Even a simple, “in-general” SMS saying “Do not forget to take your tablets today” will do. No custom time or date required it’ll work for everyone and necessarily has almost the same impact.

3. Disease Outbreak Awareness

Flu or something breaks out and if your company/firm is the first to let them know of it, trust me the chances of they forgetting the name of your firm in their life almost extinct.

4. Payment Reminders

Talking about “leveraging” Bulk SMS, what says “ROI” better than money, right? You can always send them reminders about due-dates on their hospital or med payments.

Although it’s not polite to directly send a “Pay us by 10-10-17” SMS, so generally you can include a gift voucher or something like “Get a 5% discount if you pay us before your due date 12-12-17”.

5. Health Tips

There is some common problem that every human face. Stomach-ache, headache, running nose, etc. So you don’t have to give away any trade secrets, just texting common solutions to these problems every once in awhile keeps them in the loop, and you can leverage that someday when you’re selling something else.

6. Customer Feedback and Complaints

What’s the most common problem with “medicines” and tablets? Something that the common person can identify and still has a great impact? Expiry Dates!

Well yes, and “expired tablets” are being sold in large quantities even now. So if you send out a Bulk SMS asking your consumers to report any such case against your tablets or medicines, or even hospitals, it will provide them with the “”trust factor” because normally the big-shots don’t care for such complaints and feedbacks.

7. Side Effect Reminders

If you know a certain batch of consumers bought or got treated for a specific disease on a specific date, it’s always a good practice to send them a “The tablets and drugs you bought today have no side effects and have been verified to be safe” SMS.

Or if they do have side effects, it still helps to remind them of the side effects so that when something happens, they do not freak out and understand what’s happening. Or you can send them an SMS which might tell them how to minimize the side-effects or totally avoid them!

Conclusion

Bulk SMS can be leveraged in a hundred different ways. But Healthcare being one of the most “generally spread” industry, also has one of the most profitable ROIs for you.

Because you don’t need to have a database, almost every human needs “healthcare” and that’s a fact! Anyway, do let me know if there are any other tips running around in your brains via the comment box.

Danish Wadhwa is a Growth Hacker & Entrepreneur who loves building amazing products and services that scale. With his experienced approach, he wants to automate SMS Communications building apps and tools.